Chapter Thirty-One

Wednesday night, fifteen hours before her driving test, and Mel was a bundle of nervous energy. She really, really needed someone to talk to. It worried her that her first thought was to phone Aiden, but he was in the middle of some posh function and besides, she hated to come across as the needy girlfriend. Sally was out in Paris with Aiden, which left Nancy or Frank. Whoever was unlucky enough to pick up the phone.

‘Mel, my darling, how are you holding up?’ Nancy’s voice sounded warm and motherly. Exactly what she needed.

‘I’m shitting bricks, if you want the truth. Thank you for the good luck card. I’m going to need a lot of it.’

‘Come now, you’ll be absolutely fine. And afterwards you can let Aiden take you out to celebrate.’

Mel laughed. ‘Good to see the Delta grapevine is alive and kicking. Sorry, I really should have told you myself.’

‘Nonsense. I hope you’re too busy enjoying yourself to call a couple of oldies like us.’ She paused a moment and when she spoke again Mel could almost hear her smiling. ‘If it helps at all, we’re really pleased, for both of you. You make a wonderful couple.’

‘Thank you. It’s very early days but we’ll see how it goes.’

‘Has Aiden been giving you any tips on how to pass your test tomorrow?’

Mel toyed with the hem of her jumper. ‘Ah, no. In fact he doesn’t know I’m taking it.’

‘You’ve not told him? Heavens above girl, why ever not?’

‘Because.’ Now she was going to sound really pathetic. ‘He’s got so much going on in his life and this isn’t really that big a deal.’

‘It’s a huge deal.’

‘To little old me, yes, but not to a man vying to be world champion who’s currently away in Paris at yet another sponsor event.’

‘I think he’d have wanted to know, Mel.’

‘Maybe, but I don’t want to be another item to cross off his to-do list.’

‘If he’s the man I think he is, he wouldn’t see it that way. He’d be upset that he wasn’t here to hold your hand.’

‘Perhaps.’

‘Well, good luck, my dear. I’ve got Frank standing next to me, he just wants to say a few words, too.’

Frank’s gruff voice came on the phone. ‘You don’t need luck, Mel. You’ve always punched above your weight so don’t let a silly test rattle you. If that man you’re apparently seeing can overtake at two hundred miles per hour going into a sharp bend you can manage thirty miles an hour down the high street with your eyes closed. Though I’d very much recommend you keep them open.’

Mel was laughing when she ended the call. A few seconds later it vibrated with a text.

Thinking of you, A xx

As she stared at his words her heart performed a neat somersault. He didn’t know about the test, yet still he’d bothered to find the time in his hectic evening to message her. Quickly she typed back. Not as much as I’m thinking of you xxx

She caught his reply as she climbed up the stairs.

Am I naked when you’re thinking? You are xxxx

Laughing she bounced on the bed and typed back. You’re naked and in bed next to me. Night night xxxxx

By the time she’d undressed and cleaned her teeth she’d had another message.

Until tomorrow night – remember where we left off. Night night 2 xxxxxx

An hour ago she’d worried she might not sleep but she went off like a light – with a smile on her face.

Aiden had taken to pacing the room and he never paced. He wasn’t the type. He was a calm and relaxed type of guy. What did the press say? He had a laid-back demeanor. To be fair, that was true of most racing drivers. When you gambled with your life on the track most weeks it was hard to get keyed up about anything off it.

Well, it was now seven o’clock and Aiden was most definitely fidgety. Restless would describe it, too. Where the hell was she? He’d been home for two hours and twelve minutes, approximately, and despite Mel’s assurance that she was on her way, she still hadn’t arrived.

He grabbed at his phone, ready to call her for the third time, when his doorbell sounded.

About bloody time, too.

Flinging the door open, he bundled the waiting woman into his arms. ‘God, I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.’

She laughed, kissing him soundly on the lips. ‘You promised me dinner. Why wouldn’t I come?’

He gave her ponytail a quick yank, causing her to yelp. ‘Is that all you’ve come for? Dinner?’

‘Well, there was also the promise of finishing what we started last night.’

Her husky words shot straight through to his groin. ‘You’re in for a treat then, because I like to keep my promises.’ Taking her overnight case he shoved it into the hallway before clutching at her hand and almost frog marching her through to his bedroom.

As he made quick work of removing her clothes she started to giggle. ‘I guess you really did miss me.’

‘Don’t doubt it for a moment.’

She rubbed against him and he groaned, his fingers fumbling with zippers and belts as he made a total hash of undressing himself, displaying none of the finesse his image suggested. Finally he had Mel where he wanted her. Naked and beneath him. He thrust into her in one joyful movement and as she let out one of her ego inflating moans, he damn near came on the spot. Gritting his teeth he wrestled with his desire, determined not to go off like a horny teenager, but while he was trying to slow things down she was grasping hold of his buttocks and urging him on. One glance at her face, hazel eyes alive, an impish smile on her lips, and he was done for. He let himself go over the edge, giving in to the sheer pleasure of being inside this wonderful woman.

Thank God she came over with him.

‘Shit. You’ve turned me into a seventeen-year-old again,’ he panted as he rolled them both so she was snuggled up close to his side. ‘My control’s shot to pieces.’

She grinned up at him through a fuzz of wild hair. ‘Maybe we should work on your stamina.’

He grabbed her arms and hauled her up to face him. ‘I’ll have you know there’s nothing wrong with my twenty-eight-year-old stamina.’

She wriggled in his grasp, laughing as he gave her a mock glare. ‘Okay, okay. How about you use some of that famed stamina to wine and dine me, then?’

‘In or out?’

Her nose wrinkled as she considered his question. ‘Isn’t that programme on tonight where they transform bodged DIY jobs?’

He was used to women who wanted to dress up and go out, see and be seen, so it took him a second to register her answer. ‘I think my television only shows sport.’

‘In that case you order the takeaway and I’ll fix your television.’

Grabbing his jeans he reluctantly shrugged them on while sneaking a few looks in her direction. There was something pretty sexy about watching a woman dress, slipping on lacy underwear, or in Mel’s case … a pair of striped pyjama bottoms and vest top?

‘Fantastic. Are we going to bed again?’

She froze, flushing as she stared down at her pj’s. ‘Sorry. That’s really rude of me. I must have switched off for a moment and thought I was at home.’ The happiness he’d seen in her face only moments ago drained away and she started to rummage through her overnight bag.

Aiden crossed over to her, pulling her into his arms. ‘Hey, I wasn’t complaining.’

Her eyes refused to meet his. ‘Well, maybe you should. You invited me round for a date and somehow I ended up treating it as a pyjama party.’ Finally she raised her head. ‘I did bring a dress with me. I can wear that.’

‘Mel, Mel, shh.’ He kissed her forehead, her nose. Her soft lips. ‘I love to see you in a dress, especially if it ends at the thigh, but I’m pretty partial to these, too.’ He ran his hands over the jersey bottoms which clung very nicely to her curves. ‘The fact is, you could wear a bin liner and I’d still find you incredibly attractive.’

She bit at that luscious bottom lip. ‘God, you’re so sweet to me. I must be the weirdest date you’ve ever had.’

Gently he caught at her chin, angling it upwards so she’d have to look at him. ‘The most refreshing, yes. The women I’ve dated have been more concerned with how they look, and where we’re going, than being with me. I began to ask myself, do they want to be with Aiden Foster the guy, or Aiden Foster the racing driver? I think the answer was pretty obvious.’ He dipped his head and kissed her. ‘So now, do you want to put on a dress and go out with a racing driver, or sit on the sofa in your pj’s and watch TV with me?’

She sighed against his chest. ‘I choose TV and you.’

‘Good.’ He started to move away, then halted. ‘Hang on, isn’t that the wrong way round? Shouldn’t I come first?’

She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. ‘That depends. How well can you entertain me?’

The glint was back in her eyes and a smile back on her face. Aiden reckoned he could put up with coming second to the TV.

Her stomach full of a delicious Thai takeaway, Mel cuddled up against Aiden on his huge leather sofa. After witnessing her die a thousand deaths when she’d unthinkingly put her pj’s on, he’d calmly proceeded to take off his jeans and replace them with tracksuit bottoms, joining her in slouch land. Except that his lower half was clad in designer sportswear that made him look like the athlete he was, while she was in comfy cottons that were really only designed for bed.

‘So what about this driving then.’ He lifted her hair and kissed the side of her neck. ‘I seem to remember promising to take you out in a car again.’

Surprised, she raised her head off his chest. ‘I thought you’d forgotten.’

‘Of course not. I told you, my schedule got totally screwed over the last two days, but I’m back on track now. I can take you out tomorrow afternoon, if you still fancy it?’

She found she couldn’t look him in the eye. ‘How about I take you out, instead?’

‘Well, yes, that’s what I mean. You do the driving. I’ll do the sitting terrified in the passenger seat, ready to yank the handbrake on at any moment.’

‘Actually, you don’t need to be so terrified.’ She swallowed, regretting now that she hadn’t told him. ‘I passed my test yesterday.’

He lurched into a sitting position. ‘You what?’

‘I passed my test, yesterday morning. First attempt,’ she added with a touch of smug.

His face was a picture of utter bewilderment. ‘That’s fantastic, but why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I am telling you.’

‘Don’t be cute. I mean, why didn’t you tell me earlier? You must have known for ages that this date was coming up.’ There was a thread of annoyance in his voice.

Aware she was on slippery ground, she tried to play it down. ‘It wasn’t a big deal.’

He shifted so their bodies weren’t touching any more. ‘Prior to having a lesson with me you were terrified about sitting in the driver’s seat.’ His eyes slammed accusingly into hers. ‘Now you tell me it wasn’t a big deal that you had a driving test?’

‘Of course it was a big deal to me, but I didn’t think anyone else would be interested.’

His expression tightened. ‘Did you tell Sally?’

Bugger. The longer this conversation was going on, the worse he was making her feel. And the less she could remember her reasons for keeping quiet. ‘Yes, I did.’

‘Nancy, Frank?’

Guilt lay heavy in her stomach. ‘Yes.’

‘I see.’ There was a whoosh of air as Aiden launched himself off the sofa and stood rigidly before her, hands on hips. ‘Tell me, what do you think’s happening here, between you and me?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, are we in a relationship? Or are we just going to shag now and again?’

His words cut deep, as she knew he’d intended. ‘I hope we’re in a relationship.’

‘Yeah, I hoped that, too. How can we be though, if you can’t be bothered to tell me about any of the important stuff?’

He wasn’t angry, she realised now, but hurt. ‘I’m sorry. I was going to tell you when you took me driving, but that didn’t happen.’

His body flinched, as if she’d struck him. ‘It didn’t happen because my schedule got screwed up. Not because I didn’t want to.’

Fighting her tears, Mel reached out to take his hand. ‘You were busy. I heard it in your voice. I didn’t want to add to your burdens. Make you feel guilty for not taking me out.’

He tightened his hand around hers, pulling her up and towards him. ‘Goddamnit, you’re not a burden, Mel. You’re a bloody joy. A highlight in my day.’

Her heart faltered and she had to squeeze her eyes to stop the tears from falling. ‘Okay, so now I feel stupid.’

‘Please, you’ve never treated me like a celebrity. Don’t start now. Are you interested in whether I win a race or not?’

‘Of course I am.’

‘Then I’m interested in whether you have a driving test, though it’s far more than that. I want to know where you are when you’re not with me. If you’re feeling happy or sad. Hell, even if you buy a new pair of shoes, I want you to tell me. Okay?’

Her heart lodged firmly in her throat and she threw her arms around him. But even as she toppled even deeper into love a small part of her mind insisted on picking up on their differences. He was winning races in an elite racing franchise. She was passing a driving test and buying shoes.